Western cyclone., 1887-05-26
A MADcAP MARRIAGE.
How the Daughter of q Governor OF
Pennsylvania Was Divorced.

How the DAuSuteE OA NEOSOAH~~
PennsyIvania Was Divorced.
One of the legislative committees, in
delying among the archives of the House
of REPRESENTATIVES of Pennsylvania after
traces of an old committee report, came
across q document which possesses a ro-
mantle interest and recalls somewhat ex-
citing incident of social life at the State
capital in 1865, which never got into print,
and was known to but limited circle at
the time. The document is the original
OF House bill No. of the legislative seS-
sion of 1866. the introduction of which at
the first session at which the House was
fully organized was the first act in the
legislative career, of Matthew S. Quay,
United States Senator from Pennsylvania.
1t was bill to divorce Mary Wilson Nc
Connell from her husband, Henry Lloyd
Mcconnell. Mrs. Mcconnell was the
young and handsome daughter of the then
Gov. Curtin, and thereby hangs the ro-
nance of the story. Through the efforts
of Mr.. Quay and Senator Lowry of the
Crawford district this divorce bill, with
out going to committee, passed both
Houses of the Legislature in less than two
hours.
Miss Mary Wilson Curtin had just
budded into her teens when her father was
elected Governor of Pennsylvania, and was
a schoolgirl when she came 10 Harrisburg
to live at the Executive Mansion. She was
sprightly, good natured. and had charm
ing manners. By 1865 she had grown to
be one of the handsomest and most enter.
tanning and most sought after Of all the
buds i'll society at Harrisburg and In
Philadelphia, where she was we'll known
and is still remembered as u belle. One
evening at an entertainment at the Gov
ernOr's mansion she met young Capt.
Henry Lloyd Mcconnell, a dashing officer
of the army, who was taken i'll during the
reception and was kindly taken care of by
the Governors family. This led to fire.
quent meetings between Miss Curtin and
young Mcconnell, who was fine e-looking
fellow, but OF no particular social status,
and would not have been listened to by
the Governor as a suitOr for the hand of
his daughter. But Cupid and the Cap
tain's shoulder straps played havoc.
with the young ladys heart. The result
was that one afternoon q pair of
timid lovers appeared in the office of old
Squire" Mclaughlin and asked 10 be
married. The young lady was veilcd. The
Justice did not dream that she was the
Governors daughter, whom he knew by
sight as ore Of the prettiest girls of the
town. He readily agreed to perform the
ceremony. His little nephew, who was
present, witnessed the marriage certificate
The young lady gave her name as Miss
Mary Wilson Curtin, with q strong accent
upon the last syllable. The old Squire
and his nephew are both dead, but there is
still living witness TO this ceremony in
Hamburg-William Mclaughlin, the Jus.
tees son, who was home from the war on
a furlough, and happened to be in the
office at the time. Capt. Mcconnell"
said Mr.. Mclaughlin, in relating the story
of the marriage, was q very handsome
fellow; but guess that's about all there
was IN him."
The Captain walked down tbe street to
the Executive Mansion and left his bride at
the door, going TO his own quarters, pre-
sumably 10 let the storm blow over. But
the storm never did blow over The Gov.
ernor, as was to have been expected, was
in towering rage when he was told by
his daughter what she had done The
young lady was hurried off to q boarding.
school and out of reach, and negotiations
were begun with the husband to get him
out of the way as well. Gov Curtin's po-
litical power was greater at that time
probably than any man In the State, and
means were found to induce the young and
daring Captain to leave the State, and
make no claims on his wife. who. he was
told, had repented of her marriage and
didn't care to see him any more In few
days the Captain left Harrisburg, and was
lost sight of by his friends here He subse.
Quently became United States Marshal in
the West, where he still lives.
Whether the young bride protested
against the summary way in which she
was snatched from her husbands arms Is q
matter of conjecture, but it was current
gossip among the few who knew of the
circumstances that the irate Governor had
locked his daughter up in her room in the
Executive Mansion until the Captain was
out Of the way. The marriage was kept
pretty quiet, considering the circumstances,
and although the story did leak out in so
ciety in 3 picce-meal sort of a way, the
particulars were never known, and the
parents knew nothing of the affair. As
soon as the Legislature met divorce bill
was presented, as has been seen, and the
marriage annulled Since then Miss Cur
tin has married a gentleman in every way
worthy of her. we'll known in society
circles at the National capital and In New
York, and looks back upon her youthful,
folly with the philosophy which come
Yayifh enbar